Clement Leslie Smith
| Clement Leslie Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
17 January 1878 Cowes, Isle of Wight |
| Died |
14 December 1927 Alassio, Italy |
| Buried at | English Cemetery, Alassio |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Unit | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry |
| Commands held | Imperial Camel Brigade |
| Battles/wars |
Fourth Somaliland Expedition Second Boer War World War I |
| Awards |
_ribbon.png){kind=small} Victoria CrossMilitary Cross Order of the Nile (Egypt) |
Brigadier General Clement Leslie Smith VC MC (17 January 1878 – 14 December 1927) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Details
Smith was 25 years old, and a lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, British Army, attached to the 5th Somaliland Light Infantry during the Fourth Somaliland Expedition when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 10 January 1904 at the commencement of the fight at Jidballi, British Somaliland, Lieutenant Smith and a medical officer tried to rescue a hospital assistant who was wounded. The rapidity of the enemy's fire, however, made this impossible and the hospital assistant was killed. Lieutenant Smith then did all that was possible to bring out the medical officer, helping him to mount a horse and, when this was shot, a mule. This animal also was shot and the medical officer was killed, but the lieutenant stayed with him to the end, trying to keep off the enemy with his revolver.
During World War I he commanded the Imperial Camel Brigade based in Egypt.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum in Bodmin, Cornwall, England.
References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)